CP+ 2018: Hands-on with Tokina’s 50mm F1.4 and 20mm F2
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Tokina released two lenses in advance of the CP+ 2018 show in Yokohama, and we had a chance to stop by their booth and get a closer look. First up is a premium 50mm F1.4 prime, the first in a new series of ‘Opera’ lenses designed for high performance on DSLR cameras.
CP+ 2018: Hands-on with Tokina’s 50mm F1.4 and 20mm F2
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As you can see, the 50mm F1.4 is fairly large. The build quality is extremely solid, fit and finish is excellent and the focus ring is nicely damped.
CP+ 2018: Hands-on with Tokina’s 50mm F1.4 and 20mm F2
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This new lens is just a prototype, and we unfortunately weren’t given any information on the lens’ optical construction or pricing. But the press release does state that the new lens lineup’s name, ‘Opera,’ was chosen because the company hopes to help photographers create photographic works of art.
CP+ 2018: Hands-on with Tokina’s 50mm F1.4 and 20mm F2
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The 50mm F1.4 Opera features a degree of weather-sealing, including a gasket around the lens mount to help prevent dust and moisture incursion. It’s slated to be available in European and Asian markets in the summer of 2018.
CP+ 2018: Hands-on with Tokina’s 50mm F1.4 and 20mm F2
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The E-Mount FíRIN 20mm F2 FE AF is a different beast altogether. Designed for mirrorless cameras, the 20mm F2 AF is a followup to Tokina’s existing manual focus lens of the same specification.
CP+ 2018: Hands-on with Tokina’s 50mm F1.4 and 20mm F2
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Those specifications include 13 lens elements in 11 groups; three of those elements are Super-low Dispersion, and two are aspherical. Despite this, the FíRIN remains compact and lightweight, with a heft of 464 grams. Unfortunately for those that enjoy manual focus, there is no distance scale.
CP+ 2018: Hands-on with Tokina’s 50mm F1.4 and 20mm F2
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The front of the lens accommodates a bayonet-style hood and 62mm filters. The 20mm F2 AF has a nine-bladed aperture diaphragm, and the closest focus distance is 0.28m or 0.9 feet.
CP+ 2018: Hands-on with Tokina’s 50mm F1.4 and 20mm F2
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It’s best to take care when using this lens in inclement weather, as there is no rear gasket nor claims of weather or moisture sealing. Despite this, the FíRIN 20mm F2 looks very promising.
The lens will tentatively be available in Japan by the end of April and the rest of the world in May. Pricing information has yet to be announced.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)